William h



W. H. DIOKEY.

CHAIN.

Patented July 31, 1883.

Photo Lill'wgruphcr. wupm m. a. a

UNITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM H. DIOKFY, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOGEORGES. BENNETT, OF SAME PLACE.

CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 282,177, dated July 31,1883.

" Application filed December 19, 1879.

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. DIcKEY, of Jackson, in the county ofJackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Chains; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a plan view of my chain having the links connected ready foruse. Fig. 2 is a detached view of the hook, the link having been removedtherefrom. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the chain with the linksand hooks straightened out. Fig. 4 is alon- -gitudinal section,showingthe hook turned into the proper position for connecting or disconnectingthe links.

Referring to the figures, A A are the side bars of the link, and B B theend bars thereof, each link being constructed alike at both ends, theends of the side bars projecting beyond the end bars, as at a, for apurpose which will be explained.

The hook G O is formed by molding in the sand a properly-formed patternprovided with a core-print adapted to receive one of the links,

. which is substantially rectangular in plan view,

the links being so placed in the sand that one of the endbars, B, shallserve as a core, around which the end 0 of the hook-shank is cast, saidend barserving as a pivot, about which the hook can vibrate freely, fora purpose which will be explained. The end 0 of the hook terminates atsuch distance from the adjacent portion of the .part 0 as to leave athroat, 0, equal in width to the diameter of the end bar of an adjacentlink, in order that the parts of the chain may be conveniently connectedwith and disconnected from each other. Under some circumstances I castthe hook with 'a triangular projection or stop, 0, upon one or bothsides, for a purpose which will be explained.

It will be readily understood that a chainlink having a centrally-openrectangular portion, consisting of two side bars and two end barsarranged at substantially right angles to each other, and having a hookcast up on one end bar, possesses many advantages over any otherconstruction of drive-chain link having a pivoted hook, from the factthat coupling the links, yet there is no danger of spreading the ends ofthe side bars at that end of the link to which the hook is applied, andall weakness consequent upon a liability to spread is therefore avoided.

Referring to the construction shown in Fig. 4, which is the same as thatshown in Fig. 3, except that the hook of Fig. 4: is formed without thetriangular stop 0, it will be readily understood that when the chain isstraightened out the ,ends of the side bars abut against each other, soas to prevent end-play, the interior length of the hook being such thatwhen the ends of the side bars are in close contact the inner face ofthe end bar, B, is inclose con tact with the adjacent portion of theinner surface of the hook, thus preventing end motion of the linksrelative to each other, the

ends a a of the side bars being formed upon circles the centers of whichare the centers of the end bars, to insure a proper engagement of theseends in the various positions in which the links will be placed duringthe ordinary work which will be required of them.

When it is desired to disconnect the links from each other, the hooksmaybe turned into the position shown in Fig. 4, when the end bar, B, canbe moved out through the throat c by thrusting the ends of the linkspast each other, as will be readily understood; and it will be seen thatthis can be accomplished with-but very little slackening or shorteningof the chain, while at the same time, on account of the flexibility ofthe hooks, there is very little danger of accidental detaching of thelinks. 7

It will be seen that notwithstanding the facility with which the linksmay be coupled and uncoupled, the end'bars' may be-made round and of thesame size in cross-section as the side bars. Thus there are no weakspots in the chain, and from the fact of the end bars being round incross-section they will fit accurately the semicircular inner surface ofthehook with which they engage when in operation, whereby the durabilityof the chain is much improved. So, also, the fact that the hook is castupon the end bar, and consequently fits it accurately throughout itsentire bearing-surface, increases the durability of the chain at thatpoint. When, however, it is desired to so construct the chain astorender it impossible to disconnect the links, except by doubling themto gether, thus requiring much more slack to permit this operation, Ipropose to provide the hooks with the angular stops 0, which willnecessitate placing two adjacent links in the position indicated indotted lines, Fig. 3, it being apparent from an examination of thedrawings that this is the only position in which they can bedisconnected.

If, from any cause, it be found desirable to prevent the hooks fromswinging downward relative to the links beyond the point shown in Fig.3, this may be accomplished by casting the hook with a shoulder, as atc, Fig. 3, upon one or both sides of said hook, which will. engage withthe lower face of the side bar for that purpose.

I am aware that chains havebeen constructed of rectangular links open intheir centers and connected by means or intermediate hook shaped linksformed of flat strips of metal bent into proper shape, having their endsclasped upon the links by bending after the links have been inserted inthe hooks; but these chains are not well adapted to run oversprocket-wheels because of the differences in. their lengths, which growout of bending the hooks, and also because it is generally necessary toopen the hooks to disconnect them;

and if the hooks are left open, they are very liable to becomeaccidentally detached; whereas in my construction each link and itspivotedhook is of the same length as every other link in the chain, andthe hooks must be shifted into an arbitrarily-selected position for thepurpose of disconnecting them.

Having described my' invention, what I claim 1s 1. A cl1ainlink havingtwo end bars and two side bars arranged at right angles to each other,the side bars projecting beyond the end bars, and having also thevibrating hook at one end of the link, adapted to retain the end bar ofan adjacent link when the parts of the chain are in line, or thereabout,with each other, and to permit the links to be disengagedwhen the hookportion is turned into a position at right angles, or thereabout, to theside bars, substantially as set forth.

2. The chain-link having two side bars and two end bars arranged atright angles to each other, and having also a hook cast upon one of theend bars, so as to vibrate thereon, and adapted to retain an end bar ofan adjacent link when the hook and the side bars are in line, orthereabout, with each other, and to permit an adjacent link to bedisengaged when the hook portion is turnedinto a position at rightangles, or thereabout, to the side bar, substantially as set forth.

3. A chain-link having the hook O O, pivoted to the end bar, andprovided with stops 0, substantially as set forth.

' In testimony'that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.WILLIAM H. DIOKEY. IVitnesses: I

JAS. F. YEATS, GEORGE DANIELS.

